I am so glad you posted this! I have been struggling with the same issue - we have Top Sirloin and Sirloin Tips available and both are usually quite tough regardless how I cook them. I thought it was my local market that was messing up and maybe putting a wrong label on them, but I remember years ago buying sirloin steaks that were tender and flavorful, and now they don't seem to exist.

I will be watching this thread with interest.

Alexa

We're in Texas with door-to-door cows, and I'm wondering what they do with the good parts of the steer!
The top sirloin we buy is relatively tasteless and I have to tenderize it to make it edible. I've tried two meat markets and a grocery, but none has better beef. I've given up and on the few occasions when we eat beef (I can get kicked out of the state for saying that) I buy a cheaper cut and make stew or stroganoff.

It is the opposite here. I've bought three Sirloin Tip roasts in the last two months that I roasted rare the way we like our beef and they were melt in the mouth tender and the flavour was outstanding.

Ann

I had a top sirloin before Thanksgiving and it was just as expected.
I think almost all beef has become less flavorful....but I don't find it tougher.
We are breeding and growing for less fatty meat, less marbling and it's the fat that carrys the flavor.
Linda C

I have had that same issue with all my beef. It is tough. (and I do know how to cook beef, have done it for 41 years). I cannot get a great cut. We have pretty much eliminated most beef from our diet because of this. We tend to eat more pork now. I can still get a lovely steak in a restaurant, but the grade they are selling in the groceries has not been great.

Wow, sirloin is my favorite steak, I'll take it over T-bone or Porterhouse any day.

I agree, today's beef is less flavorful, also less nutritious. Even with less fat, though, it shouldn't be tasteless and my virtually fat-free grass fed beef is full of flavor. I realize it's only tender because it's 18 month old "baby beef", there's no marbling to help the tenderness.

It's only a theory of mine, but I think that since they've been shooting the cattle full of growth hormones to make them bigger, they don't taste as good. It's fast growth, but not necessarily good. Since people want leaner beef, the big producers can't count on selling people a bunch of suet at premium prices, so now they are trying to grow beef faster, instead of fatter.

So, Sherry, did you try those steaks I sent you? Grassfed definitely has a more assertive flavor, and some people don't like that. Ashley's new boyfriend had a T-bone here last night and to his credit, he polished it off without a murmur.

Annie

I agree a lot of it has to do with the way beef is raised now. Also think the best is sent to top steak houses and the grocery stores get the, shall I say least appealing. I buy my beef from a local farmer and I always run out of ground beef before I have room in the freezer for another half, and I am amazed at how my plain 'ground beef' blows the ground sirloin from the grocey store away, can't even come close to comparing taste. try to find a local source for beef. The guy I get my from also sells to farmers markets. They know if it doesn't taste good you won't be back.

I've been buying USDA choice tenderloins steaks from Costco for quite a while now, since Jim says that's what he prefers over the top sirloin. Maybe we aren't missing anything?

It's good to see that we're not alone with our distaste! We're also eating less and less beef. When it comes to red meat, DH much prefers stews, braised meats or a meat with a good sauce. That doesn't work so well in my day to day haphazard plans so he misses out! But I liked the idea of this stroganoff, he gets beef with a sauce and I get a quick and easy meal to throw together. I don't even use sour cream, I sub healthier Greek yogurt instead. Except for the meat quality, he's happy as a clam. However he's not a fan of tough meat.

In the earlier days of our married lives we used to buy Chateaubriand. In the last 10 yrs, it's completely disappeared from the markets and restaurant menus. I guess the quality or forced growth of the cattle has put an end to that cut.

I stopped buying Top Sirloin a while back for the same reasons noted above. I buy most of our meat at Costco and so far so good. Mostly tir tip and fillets. I donÂt care for their ground beef since they stopped offering the better grade so now I grind my own when I find chuck roasts or round steak on sale.

If you have a Winco near you they have whole tenderloins for $4.99 per pound regular price. They are very tender and tasty. Last time I was in town they were on sale for $2.99 the time before $3.99. I cut some up for stir fry, stew and chili canÂt beat that price. I cooked half of a one for sandwiches and DH said it was much better than the deli beef that I get at Costco.

Claudia

In the early days of our marriage (30+ years ago), DH and I both loved a good top sirloin steak. Back then, we could only afford to eat out once in a blue moon, but when we did, we got tender, juicy, tasty top sirloin steaks at restaurants. During his years in the military, we were able to buy ones that were every bit as good at the Post Commissary, which DH cooked on the grill. Yum!

About 15 or so years ago, though, we began noticing the change in quality and taste so many of you have mentioned.

Since then, whenever we eat steak (which is becoming more and more once in a blue moon), we either use BOGO restaurant coupons or DH buys them on sale at a regional grocery which sells the best meat in this area.

But we no longer eat top sirloin. Now we eat ribeyes (my fave) and New York strips (his fave).

Since I've begun marinating them with Montreal steak seasoning (which I get at big discount at BJ's warehouse store), they actually taste better here at home (DH cooking them on the grill) than at restaurants!

Okay then,no more T.S! I'll just buy some filets and cut them up in stroganoff strips and stir-fry packets to freeze and use later. It seems like many of the stores are currently offering T.S. on sale, it's no wonder!

I'm going to look for deals on filets. Mostly I buy Costco steaks too, but it's not always convenient. I will admit to being disappointed that the last package of filets from Costco was a bit tasteless. However I'll keep trying!